Sauce base composition

ABSTRACT

A composition, preferably fat continuous, of a scoopable or spoonable consistency for the preparation of sauces by addition of water and heating, comprising 5-80 parts by weight of fat, 0.5-15 parts by weight of water dispersible milk ingredients, 1-20 parts by weight of starch or a starch-like product, up to 40 parts by weight of water, taste and/or flavor compounds, and, optionally, 0.25-5 parts by weight of gelatin or similar hydrocolloid.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a fat continuous composition suitablefor the preparation of sauces by adding water or an aqueous liquid andheating, which in addition to a vegetable fat comprises a flavour, and aprotein.

High quality sauces comprising a fat or fat blend, a binder material andflavour improving ingredients like spices and red or white wine, andoptionally a protein material such as milk and water dispersable milkingredients have been prepared for a long time. Such sauces have beenprepared fresh, i.e. by applying fresh ingredients, preparing a food orstock and a roux, and mixing these just prior or during cooking.However, the availability of food products which allow a minor effortfor their preparation, and which are of a high quality which is at leastcomparable to freshly cooked food products are demanded these days. Inaddition to the desire for high quality with minor effort, todaysconsumer also has demands on the health aspect of the products to use.

Some consumer groups have the demand for low trans or trans freeproducts, in particular in view of some publications that appeared in1993 and 1994. These publications stated that trans unsaturated fattyacid residues had effects on blood cholesterol levels more resemblingthat of saturated fatty acid fats (SAFA) than was previously thought.

Suppliers of edible fat spreads responded rapidly to these new demandsand reformulated existing products and introduced new ones thusproviding products having reduced levels of trans unsaturated fatty acidresidues or even being substantially free of such trans acid residues.

The debate on trans acids renewed the interest in the influence of fatcomposition on the blood lipids profile, one of the main risk indicatorsfor cardiovascular diseases.

As high quality sauces are normally prepared from butter, these areconsidered not to fit the pattern of omitting non-healthy food.

Now, a high quality product is found having a good taste, the tastebeing comparable to that of a fresh home made sauce in which butter isused, and that can be prepared with very little effort.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention regards a sauce base composition comprising 5-80parts by weight of a vegetable fat or fat blend, the total fatcomposition having a trans unsaturated fatty acid residue of less thanabout 4%, 0, 5-15 parts by weight of water dispersable dry milkingredients, 1-20 parts by weight of a starch or a starch-like productsuch as modified starch and hydrolyzed starch, up to 40 parts by weightof water, taste and/or flavour compounds, and optionally, 0, 25-5 partsby weight of gelatin or a similar hydrocolloid.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The fat blend can be a blend of vegetable fats, but can also be amelange comprising fish or animal fat, the latter preferably beingbutter. It is, however, for this invention necessary to assure that thefat composition has a total tufar level below 4%, and preferably issubstantially free of tufar. Thus, in a preferred embodiement the fat orfat blend is substantially free of tufar. The fat blend is thereforsubstantially composed of vegetable fats. Substantially free of transunsaturated fatty acid residues means less than 3%, preferably less than1% trans unsaturated fatty acid residues. The fatty acid composition ofa fat is measured by GLC analysis of FAME as described in e.g. EP 78568.The trans content of fat is measured as described in JAOCS 54, (1977),208 as elaidic acid content. The amount of particular fatty acidresidues of a fat are indicated with respect to the total amount offatty acid residues of that fat.

Parts, percentages and proportions are expressed by weight unlessindicated otherwise. The amounts indicated are amounts of the productsas these are commercially available, thus any crystal water present in acompound being included. Amount ranges given in this application arepercentages of a sauce base comprising about 20 wt % of water. Dependingon the required type of product, more or less, or even no water at allcan be present in the sauce base.

Liquid oil means edible glyceride oil that is free of solid fat at 20°C., preferably at 15° C. The solid fat content of fat is indicated byN-values and can be measured as described in Fette, Seifen,Anstrichmittel 80, 180-186, (1978). The stabilisation applied is heatingto 80° C., keeping at a temperature of at least 60° C. for at least 10minutes, keeping for 60 minutes at 0° C. and keeping for 30 minutes atthe measuring temperature.

Throughout this specification, the terms "oil" and "fat" are usedinterchangeably.

Any type of fat or fat blend can be applied, as long as the total tufarcontent in the fat is less than 4%. Although some structuring fat isdesirable for obtaining a suitable scoopability in the sauce basecomposition. Preferably a fat with a solids contents of about 8 at 15°C. is to be used. Examples of suitable vegetable fat are bean oil,hydrogenated palm oil, or interesterified fats can be applied, like theones as used in margarine blends. The use of some butterfat is desirablefor flavour reasons.

In one embodiment of the invention the water dispersible dry milkingredients are composed of 0.5-10 parts by weight of skim milk powderand 0.5-5 parts by weight of whey protein, calculated on the same basisas the milk ingredients. It does not need explanation that instead ofdry milk ingredients skim milk, concentrated skim milk, ultrafiltratedskim milk, whey protein concentrate or any other form of such materialsmay be used, provided the same amount calculated on dry matter is added.

The product of the present invention is a sauce base composition towhich upon its use, water can or has to be added in an amount dependingon the desired viscosity of the final sauce. After mixing a sauce baseof low viscosity is obtained. By heating this product, and maintainingthe heating for about 5-120 seconds after the products starts to boil, acreamy, warm sauce of exellent mouthfeel and texture is obtained.

Suitably, to the sauce base composition water is added in such an amountthat the composition which is ready for heating to obtain a kitchensauce comprises between 30 and 80 wt % of water and preferably 40-70 andeven more preferred in the range of about 50 to about 65 wt %.

In the sauce base of the present invention, other ingredients can bepresent which improve the quality and similarity to a high quality homecooked sauce. For example, taste and flavour improving ingredients suchas salt, spices, red or white whine, or taste components thereof such assodium lactate, sodium succinate, citric acid, sodium or potassiumtartrate, sodium acetate and the like can be present in suitableamounts. Furthermore, a stabilizer such as lecithin and/or monoglyceridein an amount between 0.05 and 2 wt %, in particular between 0.1 and 1 wt% is preferably present.

Hence, in a preferred embodiment, a sauce base composition has beenfound which can be used in the kitchen by the simple addition of waterand heating and which provides excellent taste, texture, mouthfeel andthe like. In one embodiment, the sauce base comprises 40-70 wt % of afat or fat blend, 2-8 wt % skim milk powder, 1-3.5 wt % of a wheyprotein, 5-12 wt % of a starch or starch derivative which has notsubstantially gelled, 1-5 and preferably 2-4 wt % of gelatin, 0.2-1 wt %lecithin, 3-6 wt % of a salt comprising flavour compound such as abouillon flavour, 3-8 wt % of a red or white wine or taste componentsthereof in equivalent amounts, and 10-25 wt % water.

In preparing a sauce by use of the presently found sauce basecomposition ingredients can be added as desired, such as onions, garlic,cheese, tomatoes, spices, and the like.

The sauce base composition can be prepared as a dry, powder productwhich is to be mixed with water, as a concentrate to which water has tobe added, or as a base sauce to which no water needs to be added. Oncewater has been added, if needed, the composition is to be heated, and byswelling of the binders a sauce of the desired viscosity is obtained.

Advantageously, the sauce base composition comprises 10-35 wt %,preferably 15-30 wt % water. Such a sauce base composition can easily beprepared by the use of for fat comprising food products commonly appliedtechnology, such as preparation by the use of margarine technology, e.g.use of votators, or by the use of a Hobart mixer.

The microbiological stability of the product was found to be ratherhigh, also for the emulsion type products, which means that the productafter partial use can be used up till at least 6 weeks thereafter ifstored at chill temperatures.

The water comprising sauce base composition can be a water continuous orfat continuous product, depending on the amount of fat and method ofpreparation used. However, a fat continuous sauce base composition ishighly preferred. Such a fat continuous sauce base shows an improvedmicrobiological stability compared to the water continuous sauce basecomposition. Furthermore, a sauce prepared from a fat continuous saucebase composition has a very good mouthfeel and taste.

In the sauce base composition, 1-20 wt % of a starch is present whichpreferably has not considerably gelled. This means that the starch inthe sauce base composition has not been heated to a temperature and fora time sufficient to gel. Some gelling might have taken please duringthe preparation of the sauce base, e.g. upon its pasteurization However,if the sauce base product of the invention is subjected to lightmicroscopy analysis, starch particles are shown, which are known to becharacteristic for a starch which has not gelled.

As starch material, unmodified, modified and hydrolysed starch andmixtures thereof can be applied. The use of unmodified and/or modifiedstarch is preferred. Examples of suitable starches are maize starch,Thermflow ex National Starch, or Snowflake ex Cerestar. Preferably,starch is present in an amount between 1 and 15 wt %, more preferablybetween 4 and 10 wt %, without the presence of gelatine. In casegelatine is present higher amounts of starch are to be used forachieving the same consistency.

In addition to starch, one or more hydrocolloid binding materials can bepresent. Suitable examples are guar gum, carrageenan, agar, xanthan,pectin, LBG, CMC and the like. Depending on the presence and amountthereof of any such binders, other amounts of starch than indicatedabove can be preferred.

Fat can be applied in an amount between about 5 and 80 wt %. A fatcontinuous product being preferred, fat being applied in an amountbetween 10 and 80 wt % is desired. For reasons of mouthfeel, texture,taste and consumers desire for reduced calory food products, a fat rangebetween 20 and 70 wt % is desired, whereas for obtaining a productcomparable to home prepared fresh sauces, a product comprising between40 and 60 wt % fat is particularly desired.

It was found, however, that very good sauces can be prepared as wellfrom a sauce base high in fat, (i.e. up to 80% or even little above) andvery low or even without water. To this type of sauce base, the additionof some gas to the composition was in particular found to be veryadvantageous, as the benefits, in particular improved structure andscoopability were observed to be largest compared to compositions oflower fat and higher water content.

For reasons of taste and mouthfeel consistency, and appearance of thesauce 0.25-5 wt % of gelatin is present. Preferably, modified orunmodified starch and gelatin are present in a weight ratio of about 2:1to 6:1 and preferably 3:1 to 4:1 starch:gelatin.

As a whey protein such as Lacprodan 80 ex Danmark protein can beapplied. Preferably, the sauce base comprises 0.5-5 wt % of a wheyprotein, more preferred 1-4 wt % and particlularly 2-3 wt %.

Skim milk, either as a powder or as a fluid is preferably present in anamount of 0.5-10 wt %, calculated as dry powder, more preferred 1-8 wt %and particularly 3-6 wt %.

Optionally, the fat phase comprises some monoglyceride to improve thestability of the emulsion.

For the preparation of the sauce base of the present invention, it ispreferred that a water phase (or, if no water is used, the "second"phase) and a fat phase are prepared separately. In one suitable mannerfor preparation, to the water phase, advantageously the dry componentsexcept for fat (and, if applicable, monoglyceride and/or lecithin) areadded to a heated mixture of water and, optionally, wine of atemperature of about 70-100° C., the starch is added in the end. The fatphase ingredients are heated to a temperature of about 40-80° C. In thispreferred method of preparation, these phases are mixed by use of aTurrax mixer, and the mixture is added to a votator or to a so calledHobart mixer.

In still another method for the preparation of the sauce base, the fatphase, starch (component) and whey protein are mixed, and in the waterphase or second phase, the other components are mixed, after which thetwo phases are mixed and, preferably, added to a votator and,optionally, a crystallizer unit.

If a dry powder sauce base is prepared, the ingredients can be admixed,homogenized and subsequently spray dried.

To prepare a water containing sauce base composition, advantageously useis made of one or more votators, and, optionally, crystallizers. Anotheradvantageous method for preparation is the admixing and homogenizing ina Hobart mixer. These techniques are relatively simple and well knownmethods for the preparation of viscous, fat containing food productssuch as margarines.

By the addition of a gas such as air, carbon dioxide or preferablynitrogen, by methods well known in the art, the structure of the watercontaining sauce base can be altered. Without addition, a 15-25 wt %water containing product has a fairly stiff pate-like morphology,whereas the addition of a gas provides a soft, spoonable, mousse-likestructure. If a gas is added, it is highly preferred that some hard fatis present in the fat composition applied in the sauce base composition.

The invention is further illustrated with the following examples.

EXAMPLE I

A kitchen sauce base was prepared as follows:

52.8% of a fat blend of 80% bean oil, 10% hydrogenated palm oil with aslip melting point of 44° C., and 10% of an hydrogenated interesterifiedmixture of palm oil and palm kernel oil with a slip melting point of 45°C. was heated to a temperature of 60° C., and 0.33% lecithin (bolec ztd)was added to form a fat phase.

A water phase was prepared by heating a mixture of 18.64% water and 5.5%red wine to 85-90° C., and addition of 4.4% skim milk powder, 2.0%Lacprodan 80, 3.3% gelatin 100 Bloom ex Sanofi, 4.4% bouillon flavour.0.13% potassium sorbate, 0.79% Na lactate, 0.15% Na2 succinate, 0.03%citric acid, 0.91% K Na tartate, 0.02% Na acetate, and, after theseingredients have been added, addition of 6.6% Snowflake 6301 ex NationalStarch.

The water phase was dispersed in the fat phase by use of a Turrax mixer,and the dispersion obtained was kept at 50° C.

The mixture was added to a votator (A-unit) (800 rpm, temperature atoutlet 10-12° C.), a second A-unit (600 rpm, temperature at outlet 7-8°C.), and a crystallizer (C-unit) (150 rpm, t at outlet 5-7° C.), at athroughput of 4 kg/h resulting in product IA.

Product IB was obtained after having passed both A units, no C unit wasapplied.

The products obtained were fairly similar and spoonable. Product IAhowever had little structure whereas product IB had more body.

To these products, an equal amount of water was added, the ingredientsmixed during heating, and the heat source was extinguished after themixture boiled for 30 seconds. Viscosity, taste and texture were verymuch comparable to a home made kitchen sauce prepared with concentratedfond or stock, wine, dairy cream and starch.

EXAMPLE II

A sauce base was prepared as follows:

52.8% of a fat blend of 80% bean oil, 10% hydrogenated palm oil with aslip melting point of 44° C., and 10% of an hydrogenated interesterifiedmixture of palm oil and palm kernel oil with a slip melting point of 45°C. was heated to a temperature of 60° C., and 0.33% lecithin (bolec ztd)was added to form a fat phase.

A water phase was prepared by heating a mixture of 18.64% water, 5.5%red wine and 0.79% Na lactate to a temperature of 85-90° C., andaddition of 4.4% skim milk powder, 2.0% Lacprodan 80, 2.6% gelatin 100Bloom ex Sanofi, 4.4% bouillon flavour, 0.13% potassium sorbate, 0.15%Na2 succinate, 0.03% citric acid, 0.91% K/Na tartrate, 0.02% Na acetate,and, after these ingredients have been added, addition of 7.3% Snowflake6301 ex National Starch.

The water phase was dispersed in the fat phase by use of a Turrax mixer,and the dispersion obtained was kept at 50° C. The mixture was passedthrough a votator (A-unit) (400 rpm, temperature at outlet 10-12° C.), asecond A-unit (800 rpm, temperature at outlet 7-8° C.), and acrystallizer (C-unit) (125 rpm, with a temperature at outlet of 5-7°C.), the line being operated at a throughput of 4 kg/h. The productobtained (product IIA) was fairly rigid but scoopable.

To the above obtained scoopable product, an equal amount of water wasadded, the ingredients were mixed during heating, and the heat sourcewas extinguished after the mixture boiled for 30 seconds. Viscosity,taste and texture were very much comparable to a home made kitchensauce.

EXAMPLE IIB

The mixture obtained from the Turrax mixer was passed through a votator(A-unit) (400 rpm, temperature at outlet 22-24° C.), a second A-unit(600 rpm, temperature at outlet 17-19° C.), and a crystallizer (C-unit)(125 rpm, t at outlet 14-15° C.) at a throughput of 8 kg/h.

The product obtained was similar to that of Example IIA.

To this product, an equal amount of water was added, the ingredientsmixed during heating, and the heat source was extinguished after themixture boiled for 30 seconds. Viscosity, taste and texture were verymuch comparable to a home made kitchen sauce.

EXAMPLE IIC

The same process as IIA was repeated although N₂ was injected before thecrystallizer at a rate sufficient to obtain an overrun of 50% (i.e. 25vol % N₂). This resulted in an improved scoopability, and furthereasyness with respect to the mixing of the product with water to obtainthe kitchen sauce.

EXAMPLE III

A kitchen sauce base was prepared as follows, the percentages indicatedare weight percentages based on the total weight of the end product(sauce base) obtained after mixture of the fat and water phase unlessindicated otherwise:

Preparation of the fat phase:

59.6% of a fat blend of 60% bean oil, 21% sunflower oil, and 19% of anhydrogenated interesterified mixture of palm oil and palm kernel oilwith a slip melting point of 44° C. was heated to a temperature of 60°C. Thereto, 0.33% lecithin (bolec ztd), 7.3% of modified starch exNational Starch, 2% whey protein, and 0.0024% of B-caroteen(10%) wereadded to form a fat phase.

A water phase was prepared using 18.94% water, 3.5% of a savouryflavour, 4.4% skim milk powder, 2.6% gelatin (250 Bloom, ex Sanofi),0.13% potassium sorbate, 0.91% K Na tartrate, and 0.02% of caramelpowder and some minor amount of Na acetate, citric acid and Na-succinatewere mixed until a homogeneous aqueous mixture (pH 4.7) was obtained.

The water phase was dispersed in the fat phase by use of a Turrax mixer,and the dispersion obtained was kept at 60° C. The so obtained mixturewas added to a votator (A-unit) (1000 rpm, temperature setpoint 22° C.),a second A-unit (1000 rpm, temperature setpoint 20° C.), and acrystallizer (C-unit) (75 rpm), at a throughput of 60 kg/h. This productwas then added to an A-unit to which 10% nitrogen (based on the totalweight of the composition) was dosed (A unit operated at 1000 rpm,temperature setpoint 16° C.), and subsequently to a C-unit operated at100 rpm.

A margarine like sauce base which was very well scoopable was obtained,which upon addition of about 130 cl water per 100 gr of sauce base,heating and stirring in a sauce pan resulted in an excellent, welltasting sauce of good texture, very much comparable to a home madekitchen sauce prepared with concentrated fond or stock, dairy cream andstarch.

EXAMPLE IV

A kitchen sauce base was prepared as follows, the percentages indicatedare weight percentages based on the total weight of the end product(sauce base) obtained after mixture of the fat and water phase unlessindicated otherwise:

Preparation of the fat phase:

78.5% of a fat blend of 60% bean oil, 21% sunflower oil, and 19% of anhydrogenated interesterified mixture of palm oil and palm kernel oilwith a slip melting point of 44° C. was heated to a temperature of 60°C. Thereto, 0.42% lecithin, 9.2% of modified starch, 2.5% whey protein,and 0.003% of 10% B-caroteen were added to form a fat phase. A secondphase was prepared using 3.779% of a savoury flavour compound, 5.54%skim milk powder, and 0.025% of caramel powder were mixed until ahomogeneous aqueous mixture was obtained.

The phases were mixed by use of a Turrax mixer, and the mixture obtainedwas kept at 60° C.

This product was then processed as described for the mixture obtained inExample III.

A good sauce base was formed which was easy scoopable, even though nowater was added! To this mixture, about 200 cl of water were added per100 gr sauce base. Upon heating, boiling for about 30 seconds andstirring, a pleasant, well tasting sauce of good structure and texturewas obtained.

What is claimed is:
 1. A fat continuous composition suitable for thepreparation of sauces, which in addition to fat comprises a flavour anda protein, characterised in that the composition is a sauce basecomprising 5-80 parts by weight of a vegetable fat or fat blend, thetotal fat composition having a trans unsaturated fatty acids residuelevel of less than 4%, 0.5-15 parts by weight of water dispersible drymilk ingredients, 1-20 parts by weight of a starch or starch-likeproduct selected from the group consisting of, a starch derivative,modified starch and hydrolyzed starch, up to 40 parts by weight ofwater, and taste and/or flavour compounds, said sauce base having beentreated with a gas selected from the group consisting of air, carbondioxide and nitrogen.
 2. Fat continuous composition according to claim1, characterised in that the fat composition is substantially free oftrans unsaturated fatty acids.
 3. Fat continuous composition accordingto claim 1, characterised in that it comprises a stabilizer such aslecithin in an amount between 0.05 and 2 wt %.
 4. A composition inaccordance with claim 3, wherein said lecithin is present in an amountbetween 0.1 and 1 wt. %.
 5. Fat continuous composition according toclaim 1, characterised in that it comprises 40-70 wt % of a fat or fatblend, 2-8 wt % skim milk powder, 1-3.5 wt % of a whey protein, 5-12 wt% of a starch which has not substantially gelled, 2-4 wt % of gelatin,0.2-1 wt % lecithin, 3-6 wt % of a salt comprising flavour compound, 3-8wt % of red or white wine or equivalent amounts of taste componentsthereof, and 15-25 wt % water.
 6. Fat continuous composition accordingto claim 1, characterised in that the composition contains modifiedstarch.
 7. Fat continuous composition according to claim 6,characterised in that 0.25-5 wt % of gelatin is present.
 8. Fatcontinuous composition according to claim 7, characterised in thatmodified or unmodified starch and gelatin are present in a weight ratioof 2:1 to 6:1.
 9. A composition according to claim 8, wherein saidmodified or unmodified starch and gelatin are present in a weight ratioof 3:1 to 4:1 starch:gelatin.
 10. Fat continuous composition accordingto claim 1, characterised in that starch is present in an amount between1 and 15 wt %.
 11. A composition according to claim 10, wherein saidstarch is present in an amount between 4 and 10 wt. %.
 12. Fatcontinuous composition according to claim 1, characterised in that fatis present in an amount between 40 and 60%.
 13. Sauce characterized inthat it is prepared by adding water or an aqueous liquid to thecomposition according to claim 1 and heating the so obtained mixture.14. A composition according to claim 1, which further comprises 0.25-5parts by weight of gelatin or a similar hydrocolloid.